Necrotizing fasciitis risk factors

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Yamuna Kondapally, M.B.B.S [2]

Overview

Common risk factors in the development of necrotizing fasciitis include trauma, alcoholism, diabetes, intravenous drug abuse, immunosupression and burns.^[1]

Common risk factors in the development of necrotizing fasciitis include:^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]^[5]^[6]

Type 1	Type 2	Type 3	Type 4
• Alcoholism • Antecedent trauma • Carcinoma • Cardiopulmonay disease • Diabetes • Iatrogenic procedures • Immunosupression (e.g., HIV and corticosteroid use) • Intravenous drug abuse • Male gender • Peripheral vascular disease • Recent surgery • Smoking • Advanced age	• Alcoholism • Antecedent trauma • Carcinoma • Cardiopulmonay disease • Diabetes • Immunosupression (e.g., HIV and corticosteroid use) • Intravenous drug abuse • Male gender • Peripheral vascular disease • Recent surgery • Exposure to children with sore throat • HLA class II haplotype • Lack of specific anti-GAS antibodies • Varicella infection • Advanced age	• Raw oyster ingestion • Wound contamination with sea water • Immunosupression • Advanced age	• Immunosupression • Antecedent trauma • Burns • Advanced age

NSAIDS mask the signs and symptoms leading to delay in diagnosis of existing infection.^[1]^[7]^[8]
NSAIDS potentiate the development of renal failure by inhibiting renal prostaglandin synthesis and prevent the respiratory burst necessary for phagocytes to kill intracellular organisms leading to impairment of natural host defense mechanisms.